Pure, crystal, health-giving and necessary. For as long as there have been people, water has been one of the basic needs for survival.

In today's world, water is becoming a high-priced and steadily more rare commodity which is disappearing due to over and mis-use.

If you're considering building a house outside of the Burlington or Oakville city limits, chances are your family's water source will be a well.

There are many important things to know as you begin your home search and learning about these now will not only save you a great deal of heartache and money down the road, they may also save your health or that of family member.

All wells get their water from an underground water source known as 'groundwater'. Groundwater is replenished via the earth's surface water which comes from rain and snow. Below the earth's surface, rain and melting snow seep down to pool in saturated layers below the water table. These saturated layers are known as 'aquifers'.

Depending on the type of soil or rock above an aquifer, pollutants coming in with the rain, snow or environmental spills, can seep down and render an aquifer unusable or contaminated. Areas where the soil is very coarse or where there are fissures in the bedrock are more susceptible to this kind of contamination.

Faulty septic systems, decaying toxic waste or fuel barrels or tanks may also contaminate all wells in the vicinity.

If a well is poorly maintained, not constructed properly or not properly sealed when no longer needed, it can be a source for contaminated surface water that results in the pollution of the aquifer that feeds into many surrounding wells.

Within the structure of this law, are obligations that well owners must follow in Ontario, or risk being brought to court under contravention of the law.

Groundwater is not static. Rather it flows just as a river or stream on the surface does.

The water under the earth's surface flows much more slowly than surface water. Depending on the substrate it is flowing through, it can flow as slowly as a, the groundwater flows in as the well water is being used. The closer a souce of contamination is to your well, the more danger there is, however be aware that groundwater contaminants may spread several kilometres away from their source.few millimetres a day to a few metres a day or more. In the area where there are wells

If you are buying a vacant piece of land and considering building a new home in the Burlington or Oakville area, choosing a location for your well is of paramount importance and one of the first steps you should take.

The area you pick should be on a higher point of land and as far away as possible from contaminant sources.

The ground surface near the well should be landscaped to direct surface water contaminants to flow away from the well. It's best to contact a Ministry of the Environment licensed well contractor to assist you in locating the proper location for a new well on your property.

The basic guidelines, when considering a well location away from sources of contamination such as septic systems, road salts, manure piles, livestock fuel storage tanks, etc are as follows:

~For all other well types, contaminant sources must be at least 100 feet (30 metres) away.

Please be aware that even these minimum distances are not a guarantee that your well will always be safe to drink from. It's extremely important to maximize the distance from contaminant sources as much as possible and to reduce the sources for contamination or eliminate them entirely.

When buying a vacant building lot near the Burlington or Oakville area, choosing a location for your well is one of the most important steps on the road to your new home.

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